Czech heritage jewel wins prestigious European prize

The restoration of Kuks, one of the most beautiful baroque complexes in the
Czech Republic, has won the European Grand Prix for heritage conservation.
The prestigious award was presented by the Europa Nostra association in
Finland’s Turku on Monday. The jury praised the interdisciplinary
approach of the restoration work, saying it should serve as a strong
example for conservation projects across Europe.

Kuks, photo: Marta Guzmán
The village of Kuks, located on the river Elbe, boasts a unique baroque
hospital building, built by Count Franz Anton von Sporck in the late 17th
century. The decorations include a series of famous allegorical sculptures
of virtues and vices by Matthias Braun. In the near vicinity of the
hospital is Braun’s Nativity, a natural park with a gallery of Baroque
sculptures, depicting Biblical scenes.

Between the years 2013 and 2015, Kuks underwent a wide ranging renovation,
including the creation of an educational centre, which cost a total of
around 440 million crowns.
Naděžda Goryczková, the head of the Czech National Heritage Institute,
who picked up the award on Monday, said it was an historic success, since
it was the first time that the Grand Prix went to a Czech project:

“It is a great success both for the country and the Czech National
Heritage Institute. The Czech Republic was the most successful country of
this years’ Europa Nostra competition, winning a total of three awards:
two of the individual categories and of course the top Grand Prix award
for
Kuks.

Braun’s Nativity, photo: Vojtěch Ruschka“I think that Kuks was successful thanks to the complex approach to
the
renovation. It includes all kinds of cultural and social activities, as
well as the restoration of the nearby cultural landscape, the herbal
garden
and of course all the baroque buildings.”

According to Naděžda Goryczková, opening up to the public is crucial
for the success of newly renovated monuments. She also says Kuks will
definitely profit from receiving the award, becoming even more popular
with
visitors and getting even more publicity:

“There is also the financial reward of 10,000 euros, which is going
to
be invested in further renovation works. Although Kuks underwent a
thorough
renovation, there are still many things to do in the vicinity of the
hospital, including renovation of the cemetery and the chapel. So the
money
will definitely be well spent.”

Kuks - sculptures by Matthias Braun, photo: Marta Guzmán
The winners of Europa Nostra were chosen from among more than 200
projects. The top award, the Grand Prix, went to the seven best European
heritage conservation projects shortlisted from a group of 29 nominations,
all of which received the Europa Nostra heritage awards earlier this year.

Along with Kuks, the Europa Nostra Association also awarded the National
Heritage Institute’s programme promoting cultural heritage.

The baroque complex of Kuks, which is included on the list of national
cultural monuments, belongs among the country’s most popular state-owned
tourist destinations. A record 140,000 people visited the monument in
2016,
the first year after the renovation.